Darkness and Light
by Zoray Zorial
Summary: Sequel to Two Worlds, One Soul. One year after the Orois Incident, the reunited worlds must face their greatest challenge: staying that way! As bitter conflicts threaten to tear the worlds apart again, old friends and new allies must take sides and fight!
1. Second Genesis

**Insert incredibly witty and believable excuse for the unforgivable delay here.**

**…**

**…**

**…**

**Damn. There isn't one.  
**

**What this chapter is, is a revision of the original Chapter One. That had serious issues in it, (Being basically the remnants of my TWOS-inspired writing frenzy) and I not only found myself shocked by the comparative quality (Or lack thereof), but completely unable to proceed with Chapter Two from the base it gave me. It, and the three subsequent revisions based directly upon it, simply moved too fast. So I said 'To H-E-Double-Hockeysticks with it all, I'm rewriting it from the beginning. Two revisions and a beta later, here's the result. And I promise. As soon as my Eagle Project is done, I'll have enough free time to start cranking out chapters on this story. So give me a month or two, and this story shall be _brought back from Purgatory! Resurrect..._**

**Sorry.  
**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

* * *

**Darkness and Light**

_Chapter I – __Second Genesis_

* * *

Aaron was in the midst of a peaceful slumber, recovering after a long day of exams. It was that kind of calm, deep, dreamless sleep that allows you to recover completely and wake up feeling like no time had gone by at all. Unfortunately, it's also the kind that never seems to last.

Suddenly, Aaron found himself on a piece of pale, jagged grey stone floating in a deep abyss. Seated cross-legged on the rock, he took in his surroundings. For all appearances, he seemed to be alone. Beyond his solitary piece of ground, there was nothing but blackness. Nevertheless, he could not shake the feeling he was being watched.

Within the void, a light winked on far in the distance. Merely a tiny spark, it floated alone in the endless blackness. Aaron stared at it, and as he did so more began to appear. Like fireflies, they winked on in the night until they filled the void. After a few minutes, he realized they were stars. He was floating in what appeared to be deep space.

Suddenly, four violet-colored stars burst into being. They were much larger than the others, and a strange shape. They almost seemed to be…eyes?

Aaron stood, and walked back and forth across the stone platform. As he did so, he noticed that the star-eyes were following his movements.

'Yep, definitely eyes,' he thought. 'Man, my dreams have been getting weirder and weirder lately…'

As if on cue, a voice echoed in Aaron's mind. _Greetings, young one._

Aaron jumped, startled by the sound of the voice. It seemed to echo about the starry gulf, as if coming not just from the star-eyes, but from all the stars at once.

'What? Who said that?' he looked frantically around until his gaze was met by the star-eyes again. Aaron cocked his head in silent question.

They bobbed up and down just slightly, an unspoken _Yes._

'What do you want?' he asked.

The voice chose not to answer Aaron's question, instead asking one of its own._ Tell me, young one. Do you desire power?_

Aaron blinked, caught off-guard by the strange question. 'What kind of power are you offering?'

The violet flames flickered out for a brief instant, one after the other. Blinking, apparently. _I have great power at my disposal. But that is not an answer. Do you desire power?_

Apparently, the voice was not to be dissuaded, Aaron decided. He considered the question carefully. Did he really? Power was great to have, but if you lacked the will to use it wisely…it could easily ruin you. Finally, he answered. 'No, I think I'd rather not. A wise man once said; Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Personally, I'd rather not take that burden. I don't trust myself not to abuse it."

The eyes blinked again. Aaron got the idea that their owner was mildly surprised. _Sometimes that choice is not ours to make, young one.__ There comes a time when we all must__face our duty. All we can do is prepare ourselves to bear the burden._

The eyes began to recede from the platform, sinking back into infinity. As they did so, Aaron heard the voice speak again. _Farewell for now, young one. __I must take my leave of you__, for I am a captive spirit. I can only be away so long before my absence is noticed._

Aaron made no attempt to stop the eyes; he knew he could do nothing. Nevertheless, as the eyes began to fade and the dream-world along with it, he thought he caught the barest sigh of a thought from the retreating being. _Perhaps…perhaps I have found the one I seek…_

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Aaron was jolted from his slumber by an alarm clock that was apparently attempting to wake the dead. Reflexively, he rolled over and slammed his hand down in the general vicinity of the klaxon. Either by long practice or dumb luck, the clock's wailing ceased.

Amidst a grumbling monologue generally directed at unreasonable wake-up calls, Aaron sat up, yawned, and got out of bed. He crossed the room quickly, stretching his arms over his head as he did so.

_Do you desire power, young one?_ What an odd question. An odd dream all around, all things considered. The dream mildly unnerved him, but he supposed that was normal. Really now, how often do you get mysterious, disembodied eyes offering you power in your sleep? But that was just business as usual for this particular Terran. Seeing as what he had witnessed in the past, this was nothing out of the ordinary. Nevertheless, echoes of the Voice's words hovered around the edges of his concentration as he stood and dressed, like they wanted to be delved into.

After a brief shower to fully wake him, he pulled on a pair of white shorts and a forest green shirt. Over the top, he put on a pale green-and white camp shirt. Suitably dressed, he went back to his desk to gather his things for school. Just as he began to wonder why there was a padlock on his backpack, he looked up to his bulletin board and saw a note pinned there. Simply, it read;

'School's out, you moron.'

Shocked, Aaron stared blankly at the note, as if uncomprehending its message. After a moment, though, the words finally completed their journey to his brain, and he burst out laughing at his own stupidity. "Wow…" he sighed, still chuckling, "Leave it to me to know that I would have to leave myself a note and then forget about it completely!"

Immediately, Aaron's bag was abandoned and all thoughts of school banished from his mind. Instantly taking their place were his long-since laid out plans for the months of freedom that now stretched out before him. With them, of course, came the tide of memories from the summer before. It had been a journey and an adventure of such a degree that Aaron sometimes found it difficult to believe. As he always did whenever that feeling took him, Aaron reached down inside his shirt and retrieved an object that was the proof of the whole affair.

Almost reverently, he cupped the trans-dimensional communicator in the palm of his hand. Brilliant light caught the edges of the crystal as he held it up, settling in fiery lines along the facets.

Even though it looked to be an unassuming bit of clear, blue-tinged crystal on a silver chain, he, his sister, and his best friend knew better. With a thought, they could activate it and speak mind-to-mind with people most others on Earth considered to be nothing more than pixels and polygons on a TV screen and a mini-disc.

The device had originally been voice-activated with a holographic interface, but the need had been seen to keep such advanced technology hidden on Earth, at least at present time.

So, after a little bit of experimentation, it had been discovered that the crystal itself possessed the correct molecular alignment to amplify brain signals, and even to project them. To allow mind-to-mind communication between the two planes, Lloyd had popped over to Earth for a little visit to carve a sigil Origin showed him into the crystal.

With this sigil, Origin assured them; the user's thoughts would be picked up by the crystal and amplified by the Eternal Sword. It could then 'beam' them to the correct receivers. Kind of like a universe-wide radio antenna, Aaron had mused.

During the year that had passed since the 'Orois Incident', the Terrans had had relatively frequent communication with the Symphonian group. This contact had kept them rather well-informed on the post-game goings-on in the other world and Aaron and Kyle's joint 'after the game' Fanfiction was doing quite well because of it.

Aaron sighed as he fingered the pendant, letting the memories wash over him.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Nearly immediately after their return to Symphonia, Lloyd and Colette had set off to collect all the Exspheres from the world so they could do no further harm. Raine and Genis had embarked upon a journey of their own, accompanied by Presea. Their purpose; to end all kinds of discrimination across the worlds. Not just that against Half-Elves, but any and all who were oppressed for their differences. Though it went without saying, Genis was quite happy to be going. One might feel sorry for Raine.

Zelos had returned to his mansion in Meltokio, though the city itself wasn't quite in the same place anymore. He melded back into high society like he had never left, and was doing a surprisingly good job in his new position as Royal Knight Commander, ironic though his promotion may have been. Regal, similarly, returned to the Lezareno Company in Altamira. He devoted most of his impressive resources to aiding anyone and everyone with their efforts to rebuild in the wake of Mithos' attacks.

Sheena, of course, returned to Mizuho. She was, after all, the chief-in-waiting, and had her own duties to her people. She remained the liaison and diplomat to Meltokio, but now her contacts included the cities from all parts of both worlds. Mizuho was intent on establishing good relations with all the members of both worlds. Because of this, Sheena had been travelling almost as much as Lloyd and Colette.

And finally, the two remaining Seraphim. Kratos, despite the best efforts of Lloyd and the company, had remained adamant in his decision to go to Derris-Kharlan. No one but Kratos himself had any clear idea of what he would be doing there, but he deemed it of the highest importance. Thus, it was completely impossible to persuade him to stay. Heartbreaking though it may have been for Lloyd, he accessed the power of the Eternal Sword and watched helplessly as his father drifted off on the purple comet.

Yuan had attempted to vanish into the background once again, but it proved very difficult to do so. He had, through his actions to aid Lloyd and company against Mithos, inadvertently become as famous as the 'Heroes of Regeneration' (Though he considered himself fortunate that no one had made the connection to the 'Heroes of the Kharlan War'). Thus, the majority of the Renegades found it nearly impossible to act in the shadows as they had done for so long before. The situation quickly reached the point where Yuan seriously considered disbanding the Renegades.

Fortunately, Lloyd and crew (Plus our heroes from Earth) were able to convince him that this was a bad idea. The Renegades provided a shelter of sorts for hundreds of thousands of Half-Elves who would be accepted nowhere else, not to mention a purpose, a career, and a steady income. Against Yuan's argument that their purpose had been fulfilled by the downfall of Cruxis, the Companions offered another route. The worlds…er, world, as it was now…was in a period of great instability. As the citizen's of two different worlds adjusted to life together in one, the potential for devastating crises to occur was exponentially increased. And at this point, any disruption to the already tenuous balance would be disastrous to both parties. So, the Companions said, use your abilities and resources to help keep the world a stable place.

Yuan saw reason, and agreed. Shortly afterward, the Renegades opened their ranks to all the races and began their transformation from shadowy rebellion coordinator to legitimate defensive authority. Thanks to the influence of the Heroes of Regeneration, the Symphonian Police Corps was founded within a month. Unfortunately, they had been having a hard time enforcing any laws at all. This was partially due to the two conflicting legal systems of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, but more so because many people still saw the mostly Half-Elf Corps as 'some sort of Desian plot'.

It was a mess, but things were improving nonetheless.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Yet even with tangible proof in the palm of his hand, it was hard to believe that it was even real at all. As Aaron munched on his morning toast, he thought back to the time almost exactly one year ago when everything he thought he knew about how the universe functioned came crashing down around his ears.

He had discovered that video games were in fact real alternate universes, and that four of the people from his favorite had landed themselves on his deck. They had proceeded to drag the other remaining characters to Earth and meet up with an ancient archenemy that then went about some crazed Yukishiro Enishi-esque revenge, over the course of which he and his sister and best friend discovered that they had magical capabilities and that Earth was flooded with Mana from an unknown source. Following the survival of a crazy torture device, they had defeated the villain with techniques straight from a graphic novel, and then had been given items that had given them access to trans-dimensional telepathy.

It was a little hard to swallow, looking back. But he knew it was real. It had all been real, and he wished nothing more than to be able to do it all again.

Aaron's cell phone beeped at him. Glancing at it, he read his best friend's message.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

**Yo**

**When are you coming over? You **_**did**_** remember that school was over yesterday, didn't you? I bet you forgot. ****Heh**** So, what're you waiting for? Grab your stuff and get over here! We're going **_**TODAY,**_** in case you forgot that, too. Don't forget to bring ****IT****, as well.**

**- K**

**XXXxx****x.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Aaron slid the phone shut with a _click._After replacing it in his pocket, he hit himself on the forehead with a _smack._ Summer must have set in extremely early this year. He had nearly forgotten their plans.

This day, almost exactly one year ago, had been the day that reality had opened up and deposited Lloyd, Kratos, Genis, and Raine on his deck. One year ago, the legendary Kharlan War-Era assassin Orois, ancient enemy of Kratos', had reappeared and sought his vengeance. One year ago, they had defeated him and saved both Lloyd and Kratos from their separate hells. One year ago, they had parted ways again.

And now, one year since, they planned to reunite once more. In celebration of the defeat of Orois and the meeting of new friends, a "party to end all parties" (as a certain red-headed philanderer had called it) was being thrown in Altamira, courtesy of the Lezareno Company. The entire Symphonian Company would be gathered back together like they hadn't done since leaving Earth, and the Terrans would be able to experience the world they had all dreamed – no, fantasized – about visiting ever since their discovery of it in 2001.

Instantly, the last remnants of his summer lethargy were dispelled like morning mist beneath the sun. Rapidly ascending the stairs back up to he room, he felt a great excitement building in his chest. For days, Aaron had been packing and preparing for the trip. His parents, conveniently, had left at the beginning of the week on another of their long, far-reaching vacations. He was starting to wonder if they had some sort of idea of what was happening and planned their trips accordingly. But Aaron squashed that thought immediately. It was just his paranoia talking again.

Not wanting to hesitate at all, Aaron retrieved his duffel from beneath his bed. He conducted a final check, and found everything to satisfaction. Then, he reached under his bed again and felt around for his special latch. Finding it, he flicked open the secret compartment he had built into the bottom of the bed frame. Soundlessly, the concealed hatch opened, and the "it" that his friend Kyle had mentioned fell into his awaiting hands.

Aaron withdrew his hands from beneath the bed, reverently cradling the object he held. Once again awed by the feelings of power that emanated from the blade, for a moment he could only stare at the black-lacquered sheath of the katana in his hands. Simple and elegant in form, it seemed a normal blade. Yet, an aura hung about the weapon, an air of strength, reassuring in its certainty. Anyone who touched it would be instantly aware that the weapon had been used by a great man once.

And when the blade was drawn, that aura, those feelings would be increased tenfold. For as soon as even an inch of gleaming steel emerged from the sheath, it would be plain. The blade was sharpened on the wrong side. It was a sakabatō. And for those who read a particular section of the graphic novels of one Nobuhiro Watsuki, the meaning of this was even stronger. This was the weapon of the ex-Hitokiri, Rurouni Himura Kenshin. Sakabatō Shinuchi.

Aaron gripped the sheathed blade tightly for a minute, then slid it into a homemade sword bag. (Imagine Enishi's, but made from white cloth) With Shinuchi slung over his shoulder, his duffel in his left hand, and the crystal around his neck, he felt he was completely prepared for whatever this party could throw at him. Boy, did he have another thing coming. But that, of course, will be revealed in due time.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Aaron did a final check of his things, strapped on a pair of leather sandals, and left his house, locking the door behind him. As he threw his bag onto his back and hopped onto his bike, he sent a pulse of thought toward the crystal dangling around his neck to activate it. He entered his password mentally, and felt the stone grow slightly warm in response. He knew that beneath his shirt it would be emitting soft silver light as well. This was the proof that it recognized him. As far as he knew, it reacted differently for each person who used it. Kyle's for example, darkened in color and grew cool to the touch.

He opened a private channel to his best friend as he slipped on his biking gloves and helmet. As he waited for a reply, he began to pedal. Almost before he had let his driveway, his crystal pulsed and Kyle's voice emanated from somewhere just behind and between his ears.

_Hey, finally coming? __You __did__ forget about__ today, didn't you! _Telepathic communications always 'sounded' subtly different from actually speaking. You didn't so much 'hear' the other person than you 'felt' them. As such, voices acquired a 'sense' more than a 'sound'. Kyle had always seemed to suggest, at least to Aaron, a full moon on a crisp, cool night. In return, Aaron had been told, he felt-sounded like sunlight dancing on rippling water. As he rode on, he responded.

_Yeah, yeah…go ahead and laugh. I'll get you when I get there_. He could feel his friend's grin across their psychic link. _So, are you ready?_

_Like you even need to ask._ Responded Kyle. _I've been ready for this trip ever since Lloyd first told us._

Aaron chuckled. He did so out loud, but he knew Kyle could hear it too. _That long? I've been ready since they __left!_

Kyle laughed as well. _I'__ve got Null__ Moon all sharpened and polished up…Do you have __Shinuchi?_

_Of course I do._ Aaron knew that Kyle was referring to the black-bladed scimitar he had acquired in Orois' fortress armory. _Like I'd actually leave it somewhere where I can't keep an eye on it.__ You think we'll even need them?_

_Who knows, my friend, who knows…it's a very difficult time over there right now…_ Kyle's thoughtvoice had a slightly saddened tone.

_Well, I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, just look at what anything bad would have to go up against. They'd be screwed. _Aaron said.

_Yeah__, you've got a point__. They've got things under control. Why are we even worrying? If there was a problem, they'd tell us. We're going to have a party, no__t to__ drive off the second coming of the __Desians_. Once again, Aaron could feel the smile spread across his best friend's face.

_Well, no matter what's happening over there, just be ready to go as soon as I show up._ Replied Aaron, as he coasted down the long hill towards Kyle's abode._Lloyd's probably bored out of his mind waiting for us to call in already._

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

_Symphonia, __The__ Resort City of Altamira_

Lloyd, meanwhile, was pacing back and forth in front of the lavish Hôtel d'Altamira. He had been doing so for so long now that the cobblestones along his path seemed to have a track worn across them.

"What's taking them so long? I'm bored OUT OF MY MIND!!!" he griped loudly as he paced. Suddenly, he was wracked by a gigantic sneeze. Grumbling and ignoring the quizzical stares of passerby, he wiped his nose and continued his pacing.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Aaron's tires crunched on gravel as he sped down Kyle's driveway. Not stopping at the house, he slowed his pace and kept going across the lawn. Not bothering to alert his friend mentally, he yelled out "Hey, I'm here!" as he pedaled into the stand of trees behind the house. He ducked a low-hanging branch or five, and vaulted off his bike as he encountered a barrier of pine boughs too dense to cycle through. Gritting his teeth and shielding his eyes, he pushed both his bike and his body through to emerge into the clearing within.

Once through, he spared a brief moment to observe the clearing. Circular in shape and about thirty feet wide, it was surrounded by thickly grown pine trees so that there were no gaps between their branches. Far above, a patch of sky shed light down into the circle. A multitude of large boulders were scattered about, and verdant, soft grass adorned the ground. It made an ideal secret meeting place and a convenient location for discreet and covert actions such as these. Seated on one of the aforementioned mossy rocks was a young man with bright blue eyes and long orange-red hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was dressed in a short-sleeved red shirt and blue jeans, along with a pair of white sneakers. Beside him sat a suitcase and a black-bladed scimitar with a golden edge lay across his lap.

"Hey, Aaron." He said in greeting, sliding off the rock and picking up the sword.

"Hey yourself, Kyle," Aaron responded. After he leaned his bike against a stone, he let the duffel slide to the ground and adjusted the sakabatō on his shoulder.

"You ready?" They asked each other in accidental unison. The two friends chuckled and tried again.

"Heck yes!" The pair responded in the same way. This time, they just laughed. Then, as one, they activated their crystals and called. _Hey Lloyd!_

Without even bothering to respond, the tip of a purple-bladed sword appeared in the air before them. Aaron and Kyle leapt backwards in opposite directions as the sword blade slashed downwards. Reality tore, and with a white flash and a _pop_, Lloyd Irving-Aurion stood before them, one hand still extended backwards through a free-standing rift in the air.

"Hey guys! Took you long enough!" greeted the Eternal Swordsman. "We going, or not?"

"Will people just stop asking that question and let us _leave_ already?" asked Aaron in mock annoyance.

Lloyd chuckled, and pulled on the rift to open it farther. "Well, come on already! Let's move!"

Aaron and Kyle cheered, then snatched up their bags and all but dove into the rift. The three vanished from the world in a flash of light, taking the step toward another grand adventure.

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**Well, how was that? I certainly hope the rewrite was satisfactory.**

** The next few chapters will be worked on any chance I get, but in a month or two, Darkness and Light will be alive and kicking once again.**

** Scout's Honor.**

** ZZ**


	2. Trouble Brewing

**After a long absence, hello once more!**

**I appreciate all of you who continue to stick with this story. It means a lot to me. Enjoy Chapter II!**

**Credit to Twilight Scribe, whose skit gave me a plot idea. (You'll know it when you see it, I'm sure)  
**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

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**Darkness and Light**

_Chapter II – Trouble Brewing_

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_Yesterday, in darkness..._

Aaron and Kyle cheered, and then snatched up their bags and all but dove into the rift. The three vanished from the world in a flash of light, taking the step toward another grand adventure.

_Now today, in light…_

In the instant Aaron's leading hand entered the rift, he immediately felt the strange sensation that trademarked an Eternal Sword transit. He was seized by a force that felt like a giant pair of hands, which yanked him forward and into a tunnel of gleaming light. Silver-blue walls surrounded him as he was carried along at unbelievable speed across the boundaries of space and time. Bright blue rings of light flashed past at regular intervals, the only indication that he was moving. At times, openings to other tunnels would appear, leading off to destinations unknown. Whatever obscure or wondrous locations they led to would remain unknown to the trio for this trip, as the viselike force that gripped them bore them consistently and relentlessly forwards. 

Absolutely silent, the walls of the tunnel undulated like a twisting snake as they progressed. Aaron looked down and noticed that his hands were gripping Shinuchi so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. He forced his hand to relax, and took the opportunity to glance around. Lloyd, to Aaron's chagrin, was very literally laid back. The twinblader was actually reclining in mid-air, sailing through space with his hands laced together behind his head and his eyes shut! Aaron covered his face with his hand, and then looked off to his left. Kyle seemed to be comfortable, floating beside his suitcase, but Aaron noticed his hand was gripping his blade as tightly as Aaron had been. Kyle, noticing Aaron's glance, flashed his friend a smile. Aaron returned it, reassured, and faced down the tunnel again. Not far ahead, the tunnel appeared to make a sharp drop, and they seemed to be accelerating as they approached. Blue-green light bathed the tunnel walls, growing steadily brighter as they neared the drop. Lloyd abruptly sat up, stretched his arms, and gripped the Eternal Sword again. Taking the growing light and Lloyd's movements as a signal that their destination was at hand, the Terrans rearranged their bags and prepared for the inevitably bumpy arrival.

They were not disappointed. As they sped down the sloping pathway, the blue-green light brightened steadily until it was replaced with the white-gold radiance of afternoon sunshine. Abruptly, the end of the tunnel came into view, and Aaron caught a glimpse of cobblestone pathway before being unceremoniously ejected from the gateway. Staggering for a few steps before regaining his balance, he had just braced himself again when Kyle was thrown against him. Aaron stumbled again and nearly fell, but Kyle caught him by the shoulder and both youths remained on their feet. After setting their bags on the paved street, the Terrans turned back to the portal just in time to watch Lloyd leap from the portal, turn a somersault in midair and land neatly on his feet.

Aaron cast the red-clad swordsman a glare. "Show-off," he scoffed.

"Hey, what can I say?" Lloyd offered, flashing a grin at Aaron's annoyance. Aaron shrugged, a smile returning to his face. Before he could even begin his reply, he felt two soft taps on his shoulder. 

Whirling, he faced Kyle. "What's th…oh." Aaron's question died on his lips as he saw what his friend was pointing a shaking finger at. There, rising up before them in all its glory, was the Altamira Hotel. Straight out of the GameCube, the building was pixels made real. Both boys realized that they were rubbernecking like cliché tourists, but they each knew that was exactly what they were. And somehow, when they were faced with the glass-and-steel reality, they managed not to care. 

Shaking his head at the duo's incredulity, Lloyd seized the forearms of both boys and half-dragged, half-shoved his companions up the steps and over the threshold. Ignoring both their gasps at the grand appearance of the Hotel's interior and the quizzical stares of the other patrons, the red-clad youth propelled his charges straight into the elevator. He pressed a button along one wall, and the gilded doors slid shut. Then, and only then, did he release a breathless Aaron and Kyle.

"Whew…" sighed Lloyd, "That was way too much work. Could you guys calm down a bit before you pass out or something?" 

Aaron looked at Kyle. Kyle looked at Aaron. Aaron and Kyle looked at Lloyd. "Of course not!" they replied in unison. Giant ear-to-ear grins still split their faces, and it was seriously beginning to freak Lloyd out. He told them as much.

Aaron erupted into laughter. "Lloyd, Lloyd, Lloyd…" he grinned, slapping the Eternal Swordsman on the back. At that moment, the elevator slowed to a stop. Aaron paused, expectant, but the door didn't open. Lloyd fished a passkey out of his pocket, and motioned for Aaron to continue. 

"We've just landed in a world that we've dreamed about visiting for years. Would _you_ be a total ice block if that'd happened to you?" Lloyd turned the key, and the door opened.

"No, but he'd likely be bored within a half-hour." the trio looked up sharply to see a short-ish, silver-haired boy leaning against the doorframe. Kyle shook his head as Lloyd fumed.

"Come on Genis, Lloyd wouldn't be bored in thirty minutes," said Kyle in a chiding tone. He looked sidelong at Lloyd, who flashed Genis a grin at Kyle's support. The red-head smirked at Lloyd, and his expression shifted to uneasy. "He'd be bored in _five_." Lloyd hung his head in mock despair as the Terrans stepped out of the elevator to shake hands with Genis. 

"It's been way to long, Genis." Aaron smiled as he ruffled Genis' hair. Softer, he added "How's things with Presea?" His smile widened as the mage blushed. He winked at Genis as he walked off, and the mage blushed again. As Kyle turned to Genis, Aaron took the opportunity to observe the room that the elevator had taken him to. Although he had known that Altamira had expanded in recent months, he'd never grasped the extent of it until now. The room was so large that 'room' seemed too small a word. Contained completely within an immense crystal dome and obviously at the very peak of the Hotel, judging by the mind-blowing view its transparent walls afforded. Sunlight danced across the sea and beach on one side and sparkled on the structures of the Lezareno Company and theme park on the other. A low table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by cushy-looking blue-and-silver couches. It was here that Aaron's attention was drawn, because sitting either on the couches or in nearby chairs was the remainder of the Symphonian Company.

"Hey! They're here! Come on, everyone!" This cheery call came from Colette, her long blonde hair flying as she raced over to where Aaron and Kyle stood. Following her was the remaining members, namely Regal, Sheena, Presea, Raine, and Zelos. Aaron noticed Yuan's absence, but soon spotted the blue-haired, cape-clad Ex-Commander of the Renegades engaged in a serious-looking discussion with his second-in-command, Botta. The pair was seated off in a corner, two cups of steaming coffee on the table between them. He knew better than to ask about Kratos. Not a safe topic until the Seraph's return, that one was.

Soon, Aaron and Kyle were surrounded by their friends, content to bask in the glow of their reunion as a flurry of greetings passed to and from them. All of the usual questions were asked, and both Aaron and Kyle dutifully reported exam anxieties, college applications, and work woes while the company nodded and made sympathetic noises, to the smiles of all. Then, they all sat down on the couches to begin their own tale.

"In short," began Yuan, who had meandered his way over during their discussion, "The SPC has been having as many problems as ever, but lately more humans have been enlisting. That alone is certainly aiding our duties, but we still have a long way to go." He adjusted his cape, flipping it back to expose both shoulders. "Botta's just gone to hold down the fort. Everything goes to hell in a handbasket if we're both gone for extended periods of time."

"Is _everything_ you say a cliché?" asked Genis, sardonically rolling his eyes. Yuan studiously ignored him, but twitched slightly when Zelos snickered.

"Speaking of having a long way to go," said Kyle, turning to face Zelos and Sheena, "How are negotiations between Neil and His Royal Highness coming along?" After the reunification, Sylvarant quickly realized that it needed a leader on par with the Tethe'allan king. They found him in a rather unlikely location. Even with their city only partially rebuilt, it was recognized that the Governor-General of Palmacosta was essentially the most powerful person in Sylvarant. Despite the hardships facing both his city and his world, Neil had managed to put his city's government back in order after the Giant Tree's attack, providing a strong, reliable source of leadership. Thus, he and a council of representatives from Sylvarant were elected to be Sylvarant's advocates in trans-world affairs. 

Sheena sighed and Zelos_ almost_ muffled a groan at the mention of their recent duties. "Well, Neil's doing everything he can to help us, and although some council members are a pain, they're all deadlocked against the King." said Sheena. No one missed the fatigue in her voice, and all were sympathetic. She and Zelos had been given perhaps the hardest job of all of them. Zelos ran his hand through his hair before picking up where Sheena had left off. 

"His Royal Pain-In-The-Butt wants total authority in his hands, mostly 'cause he thinks that the Tethe'allans are superior to the Sylvaranti. It's all I can do to keep him from ordering an attack on the ex-Sylvarant cities. Course, being Knight Commander has some sway, but it's still a load harder than it should be. As if I didn't have enough problems, what with being nominated for Pope and all…" He shrugged. Aaron and Kyle gaped.

"POPE!" they cried, "YOU!"

Raine rolled her eyes. "That was our reaction as well."

"But why? You guys _took down _the old one! Why would you be set up as his successor?"

"I would assume that the Chosen would be considered the next-ranking spiritual authority." stated Regal. Zelos nodded in assent.

"Thank the Goddess…er, someone, anyway, that there's a law prohibiting one person from being Knight Commander and Pope, or anything else, really, at the same time. Checks and balances, y'know?" He looked relieved, but somehow slightly disappointed.

"Makes sense. That way, one guy can't control the religion _and_ the military." commented Lloyd.

"I'm so proud of you, Lloyd! I didn't think you had understood that lecture!" The Professor cheered, and Lloyd looked glum. Colette patted his shoulder sympathetically, and he brightened immediately.

"So to sum it up, there's still a bunch of roadblocks but you're making progress," surmised Aaron, glancing across at the assembled company.

"That is correct. It is difficult, but each of us is doing the most they can," nodded Presea.

"Speaking of that, how's the Anti-Discrimination campaign going?" asked Kyle.

Genis flinched, and Raine looked like she had eaten her own cooking. "Oooh…That bad, eh?" said Aaron. Presea nodded. "Though they _have_ ceased throwing things at us since we mentioned that Cruxis was created because of discrimination." Aaron had known that Presea was well on her way to regaining her humanity, but it still surprised him to hear her putting inflection into her sentences.

"Ouch. Let me guess; now they're more suspicious of half-elves than ever, right?"

Genis nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. We think it's starting to work, though. We can actually get through a speech with only jeering now." Aaron raised an eyebrow. _And he says that getting insulted is an improvement. Kid's got more courage than I do, that's for sure…_

"Well, that's enough of our troubles for now, isn't it? Did we come here to have a party, or not?" asked Zelos, more to break the awkward silence than anything else.

"Hyahoo!" cried Lloyd, punching the air. The company rolled its collective eyes.

"This is going to end badly…I just know it," grumbled Aaron. His words carried a prophetic note that sounded heavy even in the vast, airy chamber, and he hastily rapped his hand twice on the nearby table.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

There was a minor debate as to whether or not to hold the party in the dome or down on the beach. It was eventually decided that, awesome though the room was, they might as well take advantage of the beach while they had the opportunity. They could spend time indoors later, why waste such a beautiful day? That decided, Aaron and Kyle dumped their bags on a couch, set down their swords, and headed back down the elevator with the remainder of the crew. The lobby was relatively empty. Save for a bored-looking clerk and one of the ever-present Bunnygirls, the companions were the sole occupants of the room.

"You guys ready to go?" asked Sheena. She held a small black bag slung over her shoulder, presumably containing her swimsuit.

"You remembered bathing suits, right?" Colette leaned against Lloyd, a blue-and-white towel draped over her shoulders.

"Of course, of course, let's go already!" said Aaron, grinning.

"Dang, you're impatient today…" sighed Kyle. Aaron glared at him, and the group laughed. They exited the lobby, heading across the square towards the beach. 

As they crossed the main avenue, the Terran pair took a closer look at the city itself. There were people everywhere, out enjoying the day as they were, laughing and talking and going about their business. Surprisingly, there was a sprinkling of half-elves among the crowd as well. Granted, they were often given a noticeable berth by the humans, but they were there. That alone was a sure sign that things were better than they had been. It was also obvious that there was a mixing of cultures taking place, with all the problems that went along with it. Well-dressed Tethe'allans and less-so Sylvaranti managed to occupy the same space without overt tensions, though closer examination revealed that the Sylvaranti would often make slight changes in their paths to avoid coming any closer to the Tethe'allans than absolutely necessary. All would be well with time, Aaron hoped.

Suddenly, there was a loud burst of noise down the street. Instantly, the Company's gaze was centered on the cause; down the cobblestone road, with steel-shod boots ringing on the stone, came a trio of Desians. Aaron and Kyle instantly moved to draw their weapons, only to realize that they were unarmed. Sheena held up one hand in a placating gesture. "Easy guys…they're on our side." It was only then that the pair paused to take a closer look. Their clothing was navy, not red, and no face-concealing helmets obscured their identities. They carried not the torturous whips of the Desians, but the blocky sabers of the Renegades. On their shoulder guards was emblazoned a shield-shaped crest bearing the image of the Great Tree, Yggdrasil. Realization finally struck the two newcomers: these were members of the Symphonian Defense Corps. 

They were among the minority that made the distinction, though. Several of the Sylvaranti threw themselves behind the nearest benches, bushes or anything else, desperate to find shelter from the 'Desians'. One of the Corpsman, a human member, started to walk over to an old man cowering behind a garbage can. "Sir, I mean you no harm. I am not a-" he was silenced by a crumpled soda can ricocheting off his shoulder guard.

"Get away from me, you damned Desian!" the man moved to throw another object, but suddenly found his arm restrained. Yuan had moved behind him, and was grasping his wrist to prevent him from throwing.

"I'll thank you not to antagonize my men. They have struggled hard to throw off the tainted shadow of the Desians, and I will not stand by while their efforts are tarnished in such a way." The three Corpsmen immediately snapped to attention and saluted. "Lord Yuan!" They said. 

"At ease." Yuan dropped the man's arm and stepped away. "These are not Desians," he said, addressing the entire square, "They are members of the Symphonian Defense Corps. They are here to provide a police force for Altamira, and to _protect_ you." At his words, Sylvaranti that had fled began to anxiously return to the square. The old man came out from behind the garbage bin and bowed his head to the soldiers. 

"I apologize for my actions…It's just that I've spent my whole life afraid of the Desians and…seeing you people just brought it all back…" The second member of the trio placed his hand on the old man's shoulder reassuringly. 

"I understand. Just next time, look for our insignia before you start throwing. We're here to help, but our job is hard enough as it is." He nodded to the man, and the three Corpsmen walked over to stand before Yuan. They saluted, then continued on their way. Aaron and Kyle stared after them.

"A few problems, eh?" Aaron raised an eyebrow. "I'd hate to see something _major_ for you guys." Sheena shot Aaron a look that seemed to say _'You saw Mithos, didn't you?'_

"And this is happening everywhere?" asked Kyle. Yuan shut his eyes and sighed, giving them all the answer they need.

"The people of Sylvarant have been subjected to the fear of Desians for far too long to overcome it quickly." said Raine. Lloyd nodded in assent. "You guys know how badly we hated the Desians, and we were the ones who could do something about it." 

"What do you mean by that?" asked Aaron. 

Sheena elaborated. "Think about all the people who could do nothing but fear, nothing but hate their entire lives. They were powerless to do anything but sit and stew in their fear that the next knock on the door would be the Desians bursting in…"

"It wears a guy down, y'know? It's just gonna take a while before everyone gets used to them being around as good guys this time." Zelos shrugged. There was a brief lapse in conversation as Colette and Presea walked back over to the group. Apparently, they had gone off to help explain the situation to the other Sylvaranti in the area. 

"Well, one thing's for certain…" sighed Zelos, picking up where he left off "The whole Beach Party mood's kinda blown, don'cha think?" 

"In this situation, it would probably do us all good to continue." Said Regal, motioning toward the sandy shoreline. 

Sheena nodded her assent. "If we just sit around in the hotel and dwell on it, we'll all be total wrecks in a couple of hours. We should go, and take a break from all these problems." She smiled cheerfully, but there was a tiredness in her eyes that belied her expression. Aaron and Kyle looked at each other. It was a sobering event they had witnessed. As much as they would like to think that Symphonia's problems would all be solved with the reunification of the worlds, this event alone was enough to dispel any disillusions they might have had. The road was going to be long and grueling one, and it was very obvious that every last iota of their strength would be needed if they were ever going to see it safely through. It was also readily apparent that they would have precious few opportunities for relaxation, so they were left with one undeniable conclusion.

"If we came here to go to the beach, can we please stop moping around and actually _go to the freakin' beach!_" asked Aaron, clutching his head in mock exasperation. Kyle slapped him companionably on the shoulder. And go they did.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

It wasn't long before the company was changed and beach-ready. It had been arranged that they would have the beach completely to themselves that afternoon, (knowing the owner has its perks) and quickly set about having as much fun as they possibly could. Genis, clad in blue-and-white swim trunks, showed Presea (who wore a dark red one-piece) how to build a sandcastle. It was good to see a smile on Presea's face (accompanied, of course, by a blush on Genis') as the pair set about sculpting what appeared to be a mathematically precise replica of the Tower of Salvation. Construction went smoothly, and the structure actually reached about five feet in height until a sudden gust of wind came up. The Tower leaned precariously, then toppled down atop poor Genis, who stood up blushing as Presea giggled at him. She brushed sand off his head and shoulders, and they started again.

Kyle and Regal, in orange and khaki swim trunks respectively, teamed up to form an impromptu volleyball match against Lloyd and Zelos, who were wearing red and pink. Though the thankfully non-speedo-clad Zelos initially stated that Regal would be at a disadvantage, the muscular CEO proved him quickly wrong when he delivered a lethal axe-kick-driven spike that struck the philanderer neatly on the head. When he was brought back to consciousness by a Grand Healer, the lively game resumed with no further doubt of Regal's ability. Colette stood by watching, until Kyle knocked the ball far into the air. Lloyd and Zelos both moved to hit it at the same time, but slammed into each other and fell to the ground. As the ball arced downward, Colette spread her wings and intercepted it, much to the chagrin of the opposing team. Colette just giggled, and the match quickly became a two-on-three.

Raine lounged under an umbrella, sipping a fruity drink and poring over a book entitled Lost at Sea: Great Sunken Treasure Ships. Every once and a while she would raise her eyes to scan the horizon with a wistful expression on her face, but she made no moves to get up from her towel. Yuan leaned casually against a palm tree next to her, but he was smart enough not to encourage her to go swimming. Not that he would have been going anyway. He, like her, was content to watch.

Aaron prowled along the tideline, the surf brushing against his ankles as he searched the flotsam for anything of interest. Occasionally, he would stoop down to examine an object, sometimes tossing it aside and other times showing it to Sheena, who walked beside him. He tucked a couple of shards of sea glass into his pocket, and continued on his way. He was content. The sound of the waves was peaceful, and the gentle surf washing over his feet cooled and calmed him. As a happy laugh rang out across the beach, he looked and saw Colette give Lloyd a victory hug. Volleyball game complete, they came charging out to join the pair in the surf. 

As the tide rose and the sun fell, it seemed for a while that even in the midst of hatred and distrust a measure of peace could be obtained. Laughing and relaxed, the company headed up to the Hotel again. Everyone was in good spirits, and they kept up a friendly banter as they entered the lobby.

"Man, did you see the look on Lloyd's face when you dunked him?"

"Thank you, Genis. I had fun today." 

"N-no problem, Presea!"

"Ha ha, the little twerp's blushing!"

"Sh-shut up, Zelos!

Aaron and Kyle just laughed as the crew trooped into the elevator. There was the expected jostling and complaining as they crammed into the chamber, but they were able to make it to the top without incident. Well, Zelos was being himself and got his lights punched out as a result, but that was so commonplace no one even took notice.

By the time they reached the top room, the exhaustion of the day set in. From cross-world travel, to malignant racism, to an afternoon of fun, the day had taken a toll on everyone. That didn't keep the Terrans from noticing how the room had changed. Couches and table had disappeared, and had been replaced with low beds equally spaced about the room. A partition had sprung up, presumably as a changing area. Immediately, Aaron and Kyle moved their duffle bags to a pair of beds, and set their blades down on a conveniently placed weapons rack that was already loaded with the arms of the Company. Tired as they were, they changed immediately. The room was soon filled with the sounds of soft breathing and quiet snores as sleep took hold of them all.

**XXXxxx.xxXxx.xxxXXX**

Kyle woke sooner than he anticipated.

This was not unusual in itself. He had the habit of waking exceedingly early in the morning whether he set an alarm or not. Normally, he enjoyed doing so; it gave him some peace and quiet in the early hours before the duties of the day could take hold.

This was obviously not a normal occurrence.

Mainly, he was no longer on solid ground. Nor on any ground that he could see, for that matter. He…existed seemed to be proper term, on a blank field of white. He could see no walls, no floor, no texture at all. He reached down, feeling the surface he stood on. His probing fingers met a smooth, glassy surface that felt smoother than anything he'd touched before. '_So there is something here after all'._ He looked around again. '_But where exactly is 'here' anyways?'_

'You are in my realm, child.'

Kyle backpedaled rapidly, stumbling a yard or two before falling on his arse. '_Who…who's there?_' he asked. He noticed, with some surprise, that he spoke not with his voice, but with his mind. That didn't seem to matter to the unseen being, for they replied anyways.

'You shall know my name in time, child.' The voice was feminine, Kyle noticed. It also had no discernible source. That disturbed him. As if in response, a pool of black liquid oozed up out of the surface he sat on. He stood carefully, eyeing the liquid warily. It surged upwards, taking on a vaguely human silhouette. Eyes opened, a brilliant ice blue and piercing to his soul. 'For now, answer me this.' Her voice sounded in his mind. 'Do you desire power?'

The question took Kyle off guard. _'Power? Why would I need power?' _Unbidden, a flood of images washed through his memory. The terror on the faces of the Sylvaranti when they saw the Symphonian Police Corpsmen, a Tethe'allan looking down at a half-elf with disgust on his face and hatred in his eyes. If he could do something, anything to stop the cycle of death that plagued Symphonia, he would. He looked the entity straight in the eyes and said _'To restore peace to the world and end this hatred, I need more strength than I have. If you are offering me this, I would accept without question.'_

The spirit smiled. 'Good. You will meet me again, child.'

She was gone, and the room faded back to the blackness of sleep

* * *

**Would you look at that, Kyle's dreaming too! As mysterious voice #2 said, this is NOT the last time that they will appear. Both the dreams and their relations to Aaron and Kyle are extremely critical to the plot. As for next time, read the note at the bottom of my profile. I make no promises, but I'll try. **

**I'm always worried that I'm not keeping people in character. Are they coming across all right to you?**

**There was a hidden reference to my favorite anime in here. Did anyone catch it? (The series if Busou Renkin. Trust me, you'll need the hint.)**

**Sayonara,**

**Zoray Zorial**


End file.
